♤The Conqueror's Dagger♤

~Chapter 9: Into The Thick of It~

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Loki could barely see past the red haze that blocked his vision as he walked through portal after portal. And inside his head, all he did was go on cursing. 'Damn it, Sprite. Now, why the hel would you do that?' His thoughts switched constantly as he traveled, from ones of anger and betrayal, to those of shock and terror that almost paralyzed him. Each of the universes he passed through seemed much more different than the other- which, obviously was expected, but he meant along the lines of the population, the technology, and the overall civilization. Some were entirely devoid of people- sprawling deserts with ancient carvings hovering in mid-air, islands where the waves lapped at the beige shores, tangling his hair, palm trees taller than men shielding him from the blazing sun. And a rather odd one where he was portrayed as a cartoon... one entirely in black and white like old films, one strongly resembling New York City, but more greener with plant and organic life creeping over the tops of buildings, draped across balconies, flowers being squashed underneath his feet. It gave him the odd feeling of being home. He paused, staring up at the skyscrapers, recalling one particular memory in 1902 when Sprite stood next to him on a busy street, staring at the men building the creation before her. Her eyes were round and wide with curiosity, and she looked so much younger then, the sun making her hair look a much darker shade. "What do you suppose they'll do here?" She had asked. Loki merely shrugged. "Perhaps they'll have them inhabit different floors and have them do their work there." Sprite looked wistfully on at the men constructing the establishment. "Maybe I'll have a chance to work there someday..." she murmured, then looked past the row of shops, as if caught in a distant dream. Loki looked at the empty space next to him now as the memory faded, then back up at the building before him. Were she there, she would have squinted at the building, then rubbed her eyes. 'That's possible? There's a world in which a healthier planet is POSSIBLE?'  Loki chuckled to himself at the thought now, causing a man to look over his shoulder at him momentarily. 'Well. You're certainly missing out, Spritey. We could have taken a nice trip from the TVA and simply took a vacation. What a nice trip that would have been. Just a father and daughter pair, traveling across the-' He suddenly flinched. When did it become so warm? He looked around, and his brow furrowed deeper. Everyone was wearing spring coats. So why did he feel as if he were in summer heat instead? He flinched again at the sensation. It felt like a slight tug on his chest. There it was again. Loki looked down at the pavement as he wracked his brain, trying to figure out the meaning behind the twinge. He turned around as he turned around. There, across the street. It was there. He could sense it. The aura was strong. He froze at the familiar infrastructure. His mind blank, he crossed the street as if his legs had a mind of their own. They carried him towards the establishment, his hands unlocking the gate and swinging open before him. 'What the hel are you thinking? Turn back around this instant! The TemPad is in your hands. Use it while you still can!' Before he could turn away, the sun glinting weirdly off of something nearby caught his eye. He stopped to inspect it. Words were carved onto the metal, almost entirely wiped out. To any ordinary eye, it would be another hero of a realm and their memorial dedicated to them. How sweet. To Loki... this stunned him more than anything he'd seen the past few hours. "In memory of Dr. Stephen Strange: who dedicated his life to save us from Thanos." Loki chuckled to himself dryly. 'Even the Strange here bumped heads with Thanos.' He looked up the plaque, following it up to a tall statue, blocking out the sun and it's heat. He chuckled again. He could only imagine the real Strange next to him, his eyes narrowing at the statue. He looked weak in this architecture, submissive, ready to die for the world he so seemed to fawn over. Which it appeared he did in this one. That only left him with one lingering question. If the Strange here was deceased, and there seemed to be no sign of Wong's aura, then who was watching over the Sanctum? As if his thoughts were heard, the huge double doors to the ancient stone building opened, revealing the inside. A figure stepped out from the shadows, his hands clasped in front of his stomach. Loki felt bile rise to his throat, willing his legs to move as the person came into clear view. 'It can't be...' were the only words his mind could form. The person narrowed his dark eyes at him and came closer. Loki was frozen to his spot as he watched the person's every movement. With each step, the memories came back like a whirlwind, almost knocking him over. He could still taste the coppery tang of blood in his mouth and the impact of the gravel road against his face, almost knocking out his teeth. The scar on his back wouldn't dare let him forget that year. Once he was as close as possible, Loki felt incredibly small under his glare, but didn't dare look away from his scrutinizing gaze that immediately softened. "Loki," he greeted in his regal voice, low and calm. Loki didn't back away. "Mordo." He silently prayed his voice didn't waver, but if it did, the man before him gave no sign that he had heard. Instead, his lips curled upward into a warm smile. "I knew this day would come!" Before Loki could comprehend what was happening, he found himself engulfed in pale green fabric, the familiar scent of sandalwood and cinnamon invaded his nostrils. His favorite tea. 'He always made it for me when I was stressed,' Loki thought to himself. An odd feeling arose, but he squelched it down immediately. "It's good to see you, too," he replied, injecting warmth into his voice, although he truly had no idea what was going on. Mordo released him. The smile still glowed on his face. "Come in, come in. You look exhausted. We'll have tea. And you can tell me all about your universe."
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